The next Lennart Karl? How Bayern are planning with Wisdom Mike | OneFootball

After Lennart Karl, the next youngster is coming into focus at FC Bayern: Wisdom Mike. How are the Munich club planning with the winger?

The 17-year-old is expected to take the next step in the 2025/26 season. While Karl has recently made headlines with his goals and speed, Mike—who is half a year younger and in the same age group—is working on managing his playing time with an eye toward minutes with the senior team.

There have already been some first glimpses: brief appearances in the 4-0 win against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga and in the closing stages of the 4-0 victory over Club Brugge in the Champions League. Further progress is being carefully managed, as even half a year makes a big difference at this age, sources say. According to kicker, the club is therefore relying on a cautious roadmap.

Support from the very top

Photo: IMAGO | Photo: IMAGO,

The left winger has a prominent supporter within the club. As kicker further reports, sporting director Christoph Freund thinks very highly of Mike and is pushing forward with contract plans: on his 18th birthday, the Munich-born player is set to sign a professional contract until 2029. For Lennart Karl, the contract will automatically extend when he comes of age. Something similar is apparently being considered for Mike as well.

Mike’s profile fits the bill: strong in one-on-one situations, with an eye for goal and highly efficient finishing. According to the specialist magazine, the attacking player is credited with exceptional abilities—there is broad consensus about this within the club. However, with Luis Diaz, there is strong and rarely injured competition in his favorite position. Nevertheless, it is expected that the teenager will get playing time as a backup in the coming months.

In the short term, however, the focus is on the national team. The winger is traveling to the U17 World Cup in Qatar and will therefore initially miss out on further squad minutes with the record champions. A Munich option to keep him on site was dismissed—the match practice with the German national team is expected to give him the next boost. By the end of the tournament at the latest, which runs until the end of November, Bayern are planning to integrate him even more closely with the senior team.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.